Report: Bush may walk away from Simon

United Press International ^ | August 9, 2002

[HAL9000]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- The fate of Republican Bill Simon's troubled campaign for governor in California and President Bush's hopes to capture the state in 2004 could be decided next week when a new private poll is released, according to a published report Friday.

The Washington Times reported that the Simon campaign has authorized the survey, which will be paid for by the Republican National Committee.

"The president will have access to the poll by the first of next week and will know whether Simon's candidacy is still viable," a source close to the White House and the Simon campaign told the Times. "If not, I expect Bush to walk after Labor Day."

Simon's campaign was stunned last week when a Los Angeles jury found his investment firm guilty of defrauding a former business partner. The jury awarded businessman Paul Edward Hindelang $78.3 million in damages from William E. Simon & Sons and $18.9 million in damages from another investment firm.

Hindelang founded payphone company Pacific Coin, in which Simon & Sons invested in 1998. The lawsuit, which didn't name Simon personally, involved Hindelang's claims that the investors destroyed Pacific Coin by overloading it with debt in a risky secret plan tot take it public.

Simon formed the investment firm in 1998 with his brother and his father, former Nixon Treasury Secretary William E. Simon.

The Times reports that if the president does decide to walk away from the Simon campaign, it will be done quietly, with no announcement. He simply would not personally attempt to raise more money for Simon after Aug. 24, the newspaper said.

"Opinion is split among (Republican) strategists in the state," nonpartisan consultant Allan Hoffenblum told the Times. "But most of the ones I talk to think the president should come out here to raise month for Bill this month."

On Wednesday, Vice President Dick Cheney fulfilled an earlier commitment to raise money for Simon as part of a one-day swing through California, but he did not appear with him in public, nor did he volunteer a word of support for the candidate.

However, the Times reported that Bush had decided to keep his commitment to appear at three Simon fund-raising events in California on Aug.23-24. Those events are expected to raise $3 million.

Copyright © 2002 United Press International

[Libertarianize the GOP]

fyi

[c-b 1]

Why doesn't this surprise me.

[stalin]

Simon is a waste of time and effort. Bush is better off spending his time elsware.

It was pretty obvious even before the nomination that he didn't stand a chance. What a dumb choice.

[Crossbow Eel]

You have come out from the closet - Freekin democrap !

[goldstategop]

Its just like the Bushies and RINOs to desert the California GOP in its hour of need. Bill Simon should be given the help and visibility of the Administration NOW to defeat GrayDown. If President Bush walks away from our party's candidate without a fight, his cowardice will not be forgotten here. Bush can forget about carrying California in 2004.

[Dahoser]

Its just like the Bushies and RINOs to desert the California GOP in its hour of need. Bill Simon should be given the help and visibility of the Administration NOW to defeat GrayDown. If President Bush walks away from our party's candidate without a fight, his cowardice will not be forgotten here. Bush can forget about carrying California in 2004.

Bret Schundler all over again.

[Ann Archy]

Get Real!! Davis is TOAST unless the Democrats hav their Voter Fraud Machine running at FULL SPEED....they usually do...they are Liars, Cheats and Thieves.

[mewzilla]

Let's consider the source, folks. (UPI, I mean, not HAL9000 :)

[Ann Archy]

You call yourself a Pubbie and you STILL fall for this crap?? Don't belive a word of i.

[goldstategop]

I just want the President to keep his promise to the CA GOP. Sure there are political risks involved in helping Simon but nothing would bolster the spirits of conservatives here than seeing the President get down into the trenches to share the rigors of full press political combat. GrayDown will of course criticize, criticize, criticize, but at the end of the day he still can't run on his record. And I trust the President will keep in mind that for all the fallout the civil judgment caused for Simon's campaign, its not exactly a K.0 like a drunk driving conviction or being accused of lying to a grand jury. People should stop treating Simon like he is a felon.

[eureka!]

Methinks if Simon is within 5 points after this shellacking (and he will be), W will be here for him. This unfortunate jury verdict will be long forgotten in weeks and all the quitters and naysayers that post on these threads are tiresome. In any event, I'll bet dollars to donuts that W is here for Simon. So too will Guliani return, after the 9-11 commemorative...

[daviddennis]

I doubt that this is going to influence his carrying California, because when push comes to shove, we'll vote for him anyway, and those in the middle don't really care.

I thought the August fundraisers were going to be pretty much it for Bush's support of Simon in any event, so I'm not sure if this has much impact one way or the other.

I think Bush would be prudent in re-evaluating his support of Simon if polls say Simon is now a lost cause. But as I have said before, I don't think he is, and as a result I think support will continue -- in which case this is a non-issue.

D

[TatieBug]

Consider the Source!Newspapers and Democraps are working hard against Simon but Bush will be there for him as promised. Since Davis is so awful and there's nothting positive to say about him, bashing Bush and Simon is all they have...make sense to me.

[Redleg Duke]

I smell some disinformation here. The RATS wish this would happen.

[rdb3]

Excuse me, but, isn't this just speculation at this point?

[stalin]

you think that I'm a dem because I think that Simon was a stupid choice ?

You are a dem for thinking that Simon was a good choice.

The dems love Simon. Just about anyone could have beated Davis except Simon. Simon is a democratic godsend.

[oldvike]

Brilliant Mr. President. Fricking brilliant.

[Corin Stormhands]

Bret Schundler all over again.

And Mark Earley.

There was a window of time last year right after 9/11 that the President could've turned things in Virginia. True, Earley ran an oatmeal campaign. But the best we could get from the White House was a letter.

[Coop]

It was pretty obvious even before the nomination that he didn't stand a chance.

Then why has Simon led in 9 out of 11 polls? Then why can't the all powerful Davis come close to 50% in the polls?

Don't even bother responding. You don't have a reasonable answer.